Authors, too, have sought him out. He makes brief appearances in William Manchester’s 1967 “The Death of a President;” “Four Days in November,” a 2003 reprint of The New York Times’ 1963 coverage; and “On Hallowed Ground,” Robert M. Poole’s 2009 history of the Arlington National Cemetery.

While he’s been interviewed about Kennedy several times, he’d rather talk about his travels, his eight grandchildren, or the show cars he’s rebuilt. The walls of his El Cajon house are lined with photos of a 1923 Model T hot rod, a ’29 Model A, a ’34 Ford Phaeton, a ’42 Ford convertible and other classic vehicles — and only two photos from those tragic days in November 1963, when his skills as a pallbearer were tested to the utmost.

Mayfield had been part the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, the “Old Guard,” the Army’s longest-serving unit. In 1962 and early ’63, his duties with the presidential honor guard had involved a few White House functions — Jacqueline Kennedy, the first lady, once engaged him in small talk — but most of his time was spent in Arlington on burial details.

At first, Friday, Nov. 22, 1963, seemed like an ordinary day. The pallbearers had finished their shift when Mayfield noticed that detail’s bugler had a transistor radio at his ear and a dazed expression on his face.

“The president has been shot!” the bugler gasped.

“Now,” Mayfield remembered thinking, “it was going to be all hell.”

Bearing the weight

Back at the barracks, Lt. Sam Bird took charge. Then just 23 years old, Bird commanded a team of pallbearers representing every branch of the U.S. military. Their duty: Convey Kennedy’s casket to all ceremonies, public and private.

This job’s challenges began to emerge that night at Andrews Air Force Base near Washington, D.C. When Air Force One landed, a general aboard the plane refused to relinquish the casket to the honor guard. Secret Service agents struggled with their heavy burden until finally, with help from pallbearers, they loaded it onto an ambulance.

That vehicle drove toward Bethesda Naval Hospital; Bird’s team gave chase in a helicopter. Landing outside the hospital, the pallbearers removed the casket from the ambulance and brought it into a private room. There, an autopsy was performed on what had been — less than a day earlier — the world’s most powerful figure.

Early on Saturday, Nov. 23, the body was released and was transported into Washington. The pallbearers removed their precious cargo outside the White House around 4 a.m. and began marching through darkness, toward the Executive Mansion.

“All of a sudden,” Mayfield said, “lights and cameras illuminated the place like it was daylight.”

As the media’s flashbulbs popped, the six pallbearers walked toward the White House, struggling to uphold their 1,300-plus lbs. responsibility.